


Slice of Life

by FlorBexter



Category: HIStory 2 - Crossing the Line, HIStory2-越界 | HIStory2: Boundary Crossing (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Future, Cheng En on his way to get his own volleyball team, Established Relationship, Hurt and comfort, Living Together, M/M, Romance, Slice of Life, challenge failed, drabble challenge, knee injury, namely his kids, navigating life together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-02-27 09:44:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18736534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlorBexter/pseuds/FlorBexter
Summary: “Of course,” he said and something twisted inside him. He kissed Zi Xuan because it was always a good idea to kiss him. He would cradle Yu Hao’s face in his hands and make him feel safe and his mind blank.





	Slice of Life

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a lovely prompt from tumblr. Something that happens after the show and some H/C. I hope I nailed it XD

**Slice of Life**

“And to think that I ever thought you were a trouble maker.”

Yu Hao turned around and waved. The sports hall wasn’t ablaze with light so he had trouble reading Zi Xuan’s face but he could make out a tiny little smile and the tight feeling in his gut got better. It didn’t disappear completely. It was a constant ache in his chest for the last couple of days and he had no idea how to change that.

“You’re here to revel in memories?”

“They want to demolish the sports hall and built a new one for the school,” Yu Hao responded and raised his shoulders as if he wanted to hide. He felt a lot like hiding lately.

“Yeah. Cheng En told me.”

Yu Hao sighed. It was weird. They hadn’t been in there since his graduation ceremony but the thought of it disappearing or even just changing hurt.

Zi Xuan came closer and put an arm around his shoulder.

“Some good things happened in his hall,” he said and Yu Hao snorted. “Just some?” He got his cheek pinched for his quip and hid his face against Zi Xuan’s throat. Why was he on the verge of crying? It was just a building, right?

“You okay?” Zi Xuan rubbed soothing circles in his back and Yu Hao forced himself to laugh.

“Of course. But why are class reunions so exhausting? Who allowed Cheng En to bring his horde of children?”

Zi Xuan threw his head back, laughing, and kissed the tip of Yu Hao’s ear. “Xiao Xiao is pregnant again you know.”

“Ugh.”

“You’re just annoyed with them because they remind you of yourself. Wild but sweet inside.”

Yu Hao made a shocked sound.

“Don’t say that about me ever again!” He play-struggled a bit to get out of Zi Xuan’s arms but in the end, they were pressed against each other even tighter.

“You really okay?” Zi Xuan was observant, always had been and the words were already on his tongue ready to be spoken but… would he be eloquent enough to voice them? Did he even want to voice them?

“Of course,” he said and something twisted inside him. He kissed Zi Xuan because it was always a good idea to kiss him. He would cradle Yu Hao’s face in his hands and make him feel safe and his mind blank.

“I’m alright, just a bit nostalgic. We should go back to the party.” Instead of an answer, Zi Xuan took off his glasses and kissed Yu Hao back in a way that left his legs shaking. He dug his fingers into Zi Xuan’s hip to hold onto something steady.

“We could stay here,” Yu Hao said while he tried to catch his breath and Zi Xuan’s smile grew a little wicked.

“With Xiao Xiao and Cheng En around who have a six sense when we touch each other for too long?”

“I don’t care about them,” Yu Hao declared but felt the blush warming his face. He rolled his eyes at Zi Xuan amused huff and took his hand to drag him out of the hall with him.

+++

Zi Xuan slept on his back most of the times. They had found a pillow he could put under his bad knee to relieve some pressure and it helped when Zi Xuan knew he had to stand or walk a lot the next day.

Yu Hao turned and looked at the clock on his nightstand. 3.42 am. Another sleepless night. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could function on two hours sleep at night, constant worry, and power naps during his lunch break. He took his phone in his hand, looked at Zi Xuan to make sure that he was still sleeping and lowered the screen brightness. The forums weren’t really helpful. They raised his anxiety instead of lessening his fear. But he couldn’t stop reading through the comments. Some of them were wildly misinformed, some so heartbreaking he got tears in his eyes, and some really uplifting and hopeful. He sighed, put his phone away and stared at Zi Xuan's profile. He had to strain his ear to hear him breathe. He slipped closer and laid his head on Zi Xuan’s chest. Zi Xuan moved and put his arm around him, murmuring something. Yu Hao was afraid to close his eyes so he stared into the darkness while he listened to Zi Xuan's heartbeat.

+++

The turtle throned atop the microwave overseeing their tiny kitchen. Yu Hao felt its solemn gaze and stared back. He heard Zi Xuan rummaging around but was mostly interested in the toast in front of him and not falling asleep on their kitchen table.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you? Or not?”

Yu Hao nodded out of habit but frowned after a moment. He wasn’t sure what Zi Xuan had said. His head was wrapped up in cotton candy.

“What do you mean?”

“You stare at me when you think I’m sleeping, the dark rings under your eyes are frightening and you avoid looking at me.”

Yu Hao who had stared at the cup of tea looked up quickly. Zi Xuan didn’t sound angry. But he never really did. He got intense and quiet. He seemed like someone who was easy to discuss with, someone who was reasonable. He was. But he was also the most stubborn person Yu Hao knew. He leaned against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He had effectively blocked Yu Hao’s escape route with his body.

He opened his mouth but closed it a second later. How should he even begin?

“I’m just… a bit worried?”

“About what?”

Yu Hao shrugged then gesticulated wildly with his hands because his words seemed so stupid.

“The knee operation you want to undergo?”

Had Zi Xuan forgotten what he had said to Yu Hao a few weeks ago? As if he had just told him what they would eat for dinner?

Zi Xuan took a sip of his tea.

“What is there to worry about?”

Yu Hao stared at his boyfriend in disbelief.

“It’s an eight-hour operation for starters! It…” He got interrupted by Zi Xuan’s phone. It was time for him to go to university if he didn’t want to be late. Zi Xuan put the teacup in the sink.

“It will improve my quality of life and it shouldn’t be too bad to have a few more positions we can try out, right?”

Yu Hao was just able to stare at him. Zi Xuan went to their tiny entry hall to slip into his shoes and jacket and waved goodbye at him. The door closed behind him with a silent and soft click.

What… What?

+++

Yu Hao tried to open the door with his backpack under his one arm and his phone between his ear and shoulder.

“Yes, mum,” he said for the tenth time and rolled his eyes at her and his inability to sound like a grown-up.

He stumbled inside the flat, got rid of his backpack and shoes and peeked inside their living room. Zi Xuan was sitting on the couch with his bad leg propped up on a chair. Yu Hao felt the familiar twist in his belly. He absentmindedly said “Yes, mum,” and Zi Xuan turned his head his way. He smiled and relief flooded Yu Hao. Then he mouthed “Mothers boy” and Yu Hao flipped him off.

It was weird how his mother sometimes knew when to call. As if she felt that something was eating Yu Hao from the inside. She didn’t ask what was bothering him, she just lectured him about being a good partner and wouldn’t let him get a word in edgewise. He was able to convince her that he still took good care of Zi Xuan, that they ate enough and didn’t overwork themselves. He put the phone on the kitchen counter and took a pack of cooling bags out of their freezer compartment.

He went into the living room and took a deep breath. Zi Xuan just looked up at him.

“It’s an eight-hour operation. And you just threw the information in my face in passing and I know it’s not my place to decide if you should do it, and I know I shouldn’t make this about myself, but I’m worried. And I have the feeling I have nothing to say in it. Which I shouldn’t have, because it’s your decision but… I’m worried!”

He took another deep breath, stomped closer, lifted Zi Xuan’s leg so he could sit on the chair and laid it back on his thigh. He felt Zi Xuan’s eyes on him and risked a look. Zi Xuan’s face was unreadable. The twisting feeling got worse. He put the ice pack on the floor and started to massage Zi Xuan’s knee. He looked up again after a few moments. Zi Xuan smiled at him. He sighed in relief.

Zi Xuan rested his head back and closed his eyes. Yu Hao knew how to massage Zi Xuan’s leg with pressure but without pain. He was proud of it.

“I don’t want to do it because of volleyball,” Zi Xuan said suddenly and Yu Hao stopped. He put the ice pack on Zi Xuan’s knee to soothe it.

“I had the feeling you would think I want to do it because of volleyball, but I don’t. That part is over and I made my peace with it.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah. Why shouldn’t I believe you?”

“Maybe because I didn’t believe myself until now.”

Yu Hao looked up but Zi Xuan had his eyes still closed. Yu Hao knew that the decision for the operation wasn’t a rash one. Zi Xuan thought things through. Almost obsessively. Which was nice sometimes, like the apartment-hunt. Zi Xuan had had a spreadsheet about what they wanted, what they didn’t want and what they could afford. Which was funny because Yu Hao had no idea how Zi Xuan got his hands on his financial record. Sometimes it was frustrating because he wanted to be there for Zi Xuan, wanted to share the burden.

“The operation is not something I need in the immediate future. It’s a possibility if things get worse. It’s about improving my quality of life.”

“You would need physical therapy afterwards, right?”

“Yes. Maybe I have to wear a brace for some time… maybe use a wheelchair.”

Yu Hao heard the slight hitch in Zi Xuan’s voice.

“You don’t want a wheelchair?”

“When I’m older I guess it will be no longer about what I want but what I need.”

“So you’ll maybe need one, I wouldn’t mind.” He felt Zi Xuan’s gaze and slapped himself mentally against the head.

“Obviously I shouldn’t be so flippant about it and maybe it wouldn’t be an easy adjustment but I still think it would be fine.”

He didn’t mind. He didn’t mind massaging Zi Xuan’s leg or that they have to be slower on some days. That hiking wasn’t an option or running together. He watched youtube videos about the right massage technique so he wouldn’t hurt Zi Xuan unintentionally and he wouldn’t mind starting to save so they could afford a wheelchair friendly house one day.

“In sickness and in health,” Zi Xuan said and Yu Hao nodded.

He looked up and blushed.   

Zi Xuan laughed at him, silently with his eyes and face and Yu Hao lifted his chin. “Just so you know, I already confessed my feelings first, you’re the one who has to propose.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Yu Hao pinched him in his upper leg. “It is!”

Zi Xuan just grinned and leaned back again. “Good to know.”

“Good to know my ass,” Yu Hao mumbled but continued to massage Zi Xuan’s leg. His insides were a mass of butterflies and he fought the grin which wanted to take over his face.

Nevertheless, there was still a nagging feeling in the back of his thoughts.

+++

“You’re staring at me again,” Zi Xuan whispered and Yu Hao took it as permission to move closer.

“I want to know something,” he said and took a deep breath. Maybe it alarmed Zi Xuan because he opened his eyes and frowned at him.

“What is it?”

Yu Hao was relieved that it was dark in their bedroom. That he could feel his flushed cheeks but Zi Xuan couldn’t see them. He felt braver in this quiet space.

“You really think I’m uncomfortable with…” He wanted to slap himself because he wanted to hide beneath the blanket. He took another deep breath. “You really think I’m uncomfortable with how we have sex?” Zi Xuan turned to him and Yu Hao wanted to see his face but also never wanted to face him again.

“It kind of limits the positions, don’t you think?”

Yu Hao was able to hold still for a moment but then had to groan and hide his face under his pillow. Zi Xuan patted him on the back. He loved having sex with Zi Xuan! They had a great sex life, Yu Hao was often enough the one who initiated stuff but sometimes. Sometimes it was hard talking about it.

He decided to just act, rolled Zi Xuan back on his back and straddled him. Zi Xuan’s hands found their way on either side of his hips, slipping under his shirt to caress the skin beneath it. Yu Hao felt the tingles in his stomach. A known response to Zi Xuan’s touch.

“You think I don’t like _this_ position, right?”

“This position? I can’t see clearly, you know, my eyesight…”

Yu Hao huffed. Zi Xuan laughed but embraced him tightly as Yu Hao bent down to rub his nose against his.

“Better?” Zi Xuan smiled against his lips. Yu Hao kissed him. Short. A soft little peck. He kissed his nose next, one eyebrow, back to his lips. He felt Zi Xuan’s growing erection under his butt and wiggled teasingly.

“I like every position,” he murmured. “I don’t have a list what I want to try or what I never again want to do because everything up to now was perfect.”

“You’re perfect,” Zi Xuan replied and Yu Hao straightened up with a loud groan. His blush warmed his face.

“Stop saying stuff like that!”

“Then stop being cute.”

“I’m not cute!”

He bent down again to make Zi Xuan shut up with his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you had fun. If you want, you can find me on tumblr - [florbexter](https://florbexter.tumblr.com)


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